Summary

This article documents the configuration of libgphoto2 to access digital cameras. Some digital cameras will mount as normal USB Storage Devices and may not require the use of libgphoto2.

Note: As of libgphoto2 version 2.14.13, users do not need to be part of the camera group.

Libgphoto2

Libgphoto2 is the core library designed to allow access to digital cameras by external (front end) programs, such as Digikam and gphoto2. The current 'officially' supported cameras are here though more may (probably) work.

Now after plugin your camera you can check if permission looks okay by running:

# ls -lR /dev/bus/usb

Tip: It may be easier to reboot.

GPhoto2

GPhoto2 is a command line client for libgphoto2. GPhoto2 allows access to the libgpohoto2 library from a terminal or from a script shell to perform any camera operation that can be done. This is the main user interface.

GPhoto2 also provides convenient debugging features for camera driver developers.

Installation and Configuration

To get Gphoto2, type this in as root:

# pacman -S gphoto2

You can also install gvfs-gphoto2 as a gphoto2 backend for gvfs

# pacman -S gvfs-gphoto2

Quick Commands

gphoto2 --list-ports

gphoto2 --auto-detect

gphoto2 --summary

gphoto2 --list-files

gphoto2 --get-all-files

For advanced file manipulation, use

gphoto2 --shell

Frontend (external) Applications for GPhoto2

gphotofs - allow using your camera with any tool able to read from a mounted filesystem.